Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a potential biological control agent for carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia: susceptibility of non‐target species

Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is a pest species in Australian waterways, and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is being considered as a potential biological control (biocontrol) agent. An important consideration for any such agent is its target specificity. In this study, the susceptibility to CyHV‐3 of a range of non‐target species (NTS) was tested. The NTS were as follows: 13 native Australian, and one introduced, fish species; a lamprey species; a crustacean; two native amphibian species (tadpole and mature stages); two native reptilian species; chickens; and laboratory mice. Animals were exposed to 100–1000 times the approximate minimum amount of CyHV‐3 required to cause disease in carp by intraperitoneal and/or bath challenge, and then examined clinically each day over the course of 28 days post‐challenge. There were no clinical signs, mortalities or histological evidence consistent with a viral infection in a wide taxonomic range of NTS. Furthermore, there was no molecular evidence of infection with CyHV‐3, and, in particular, all RT‐PCRs for viral mRNA were negative. As a consequence, the results encourage further investigation of CyHV‐3 as a potential biocontrol agent that is specific for carp.     

澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理策略及对中国的借鉴意义

澳大利亚是一个典型的岛屿国家,地域辽阔。18世纪欧洲移民时期至今,新移民为澳大利亚带来了大量外来物种,其中一部分在很大程度上丰富了澳大利亚的农产品种类,但也有很多物种已经成为危害自然生态环境和农牧业发展的有害入侵物种。澳大利亚政府高度重视外来入侵物种和本国生物资源的管理工作,建立了完善的政策法规、管理机构、技术支撑、资金保障、公共教育体系,在国际生物多样性保护与利用方面处于世界领先水平。本文简要介绍了澳大利亚外来入侵物种管理的有关策略和指南,并阐述了对中国的借鉴意义：（1）建立完善国内生物多样性保护特别是外来入侵物种防控的法律法规体系;（2）建立健全国内生物多样性管理长效机制;（3）建立高效生物多样可持续管理资金保障体系;（4）构建全方位全民参与的生态保护宣传培训体系;（5）强化科学技术对生物多样性管理的支撑作用。     

Ace and ace-like genes of invasive redlegged earth mite: copy number variation,target-site mutations,and their associations with organophosphate insensitivity

Background

Invasive Australian populations of redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor (Tucker), are evolving increasing organophosphate resistance. In addition to the canonical ace gene, the target gene of organophosphates, the H. destructor genome contains many radiated ace-like genes that vary in copy number and amino acid sequence. In this work, we characterise copy number and target-site mutation variation at the canonical ace and ace-like genes and test for potential associations with organophosphate insensitivity. This was achieved through comparisons of whole-genome pool-seq data from alive and dead mites following organophosphate exposure.

Results

A combination of increased copy number and target-site mutations at the canonical ace was associated with organophosphate insensitivity in H. destructor. Resistant populations were segregating for G119S, A201S, F331Y at the canonical ace. A subset of populations also had copy numbers of canonical ace > 2, which potentially helps overexpress proteins carrying these target-site mutations. Haplotypes possessing different copy numbers and target-site mutations of the canonical ace gene may be under selection across H. destructor populations. We also detected some evidence that increases in copy number of radiated ace-like genes are associated with organophosphate insensitivity, which might suggest potential roles in sequestration or breakdown of organophosphates.

Conclusion

Different combinations of target-site mutations and (or) copy number variation in the canonical ace and ace-like genes may provide non-convergent ways for H. destructor to respond to organophosphate selection. However, these changes may only play a partial role in organophosphate insensitivity, which appears to have a polygenic architecture. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Growth performance and management of a mixed rainforest tree plantation

Monoculture plantations of Pinus, Eucalyptus and Acacia have beenestablished on rainforest lands throughout the world. However, this type of reforestation generally supplies low quality timber and contributes to landscape simplification. Alternatives to exotic monoculture plantations are now beginning to gain momentum with farmers and landholders attempting to establish a variety of rainforest trees in small plantations. When compared to the well studied commercial species, knowledge concerning the growth and management of many of these rainforest species is in its infancy. To help expand this limited knowledge base an experimental plantation of 16 rainforest tree species in a randomised design was established near Mt. Mee, in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Changes in growth, form (based on stem straightness, branch size and branchiness), crown diameters and leaf area of each species were examined over 5 years. Patterns of height growth were also measured monthly for 31 months. Species in this trial could be separated into three groups based on their overall growth after 5 years and their growth patterns. Early successional status, low timber density, high maximum photosynthetic rates and large total leaf areas were generally correlated to rapid height growth. Several species (including Araucaria cunninghamii, Elaeocarpus grandis, Flindersia brayleyana, Grevillea robusta and Khaya nyasica) had above average form and growth, while all species in the trial had considerable potential to have increased productivity through tree selection. As canopy closure occurred at the site between years four and five, growth increments declined. To reduce stand competition a number of different thinning techniques could be employed. However, simple geometric or productivity based thinnings appear to be inappropriate management techniques for this mixed species stand as they would either remove many of the best performing trees or nearly half the species in the trial. Alternatively, a form based thinning would maintain the sites diversity, increase the average form of the plantation and provide some productivity benefits.     

澳大利亚、新西兰天然林保护管理对我国的启示

文章介绍了澳大利亚和新西兰两国的天然林经营保护方面的基本情况和做法,提出进一步完善我国正在实施的天然林保护工程政策和管理机制,如制定符合国际林业发展趋势和我国国情的天然林资源保护政策;大力发展人工林,提高林产品产量进而促进天然林保护;加强国际合作,提高我国天然林可持续经营能力等。     

Chaos theory and assessment of forest stakeholder attitudes towards Australian forest policy

The Regional Forest Agreement process has dominated Australian forest policy for the past decade. The RFA process set in place a mechanism by which benchmark conservation values were established for forest ecosystems, whilst addressing the needs of the timber industry. The outcomes of a number of RFA's have been fraught with controversy. Key stakeholder groups have shown disagreement with processes and outcomes of methods employed by government both in establishing conservation reserves and areas allocated to timber harvesting. This research uses non-linear techniques to examine the dynamical behavior in stakeholder responses and to identify patterns of behavior that may lead to prediction of stakeholder responses. The method developed in this research provides a bridge between social sciences and Chaos theory.¹     

澳大利亚森林经营方案编制及借鉴

介绍了澳大利亚森林经营方案编制的有关情况,分析了我国与澳大利亚在编制森林经营方案方面存在的差距,借鉴澳大利亚的经验,结合我国国情林情,提出了如下建议:(1)提高方案编制质量;(2)要明确法律地位,确保森林经营方案实施;(3)顺应改革的需求,尊重经营者意愿;(4)加强编制方案人员业务培训,提高其素质和水平。